FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS MEET WITH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Groups ask for a "full and thorough" review of existing security legislation.
(Ottawa, Canada - 21/4/2004) - In a meeting yesterday night with Anne McLellan,
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, a number of prominent
national organizations asked for a “full and thorough” review of existing
security legislation to ensure that the legislation conforms to anada's
democratic values and the rule of law.
The meeting, a roundtable discussion attended by representatives from faith,
ethnic and community groups, was attended by Riad Saloojee, Executive Director
of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN), Audrey Jamal,
Executive Director of the Canadian Arab Federation (CAF), Janet Dench, Executive
Director of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) and Adam Esse, President
of the Coalition of Muslim Organizations (COMO).
The groups asked for the following
* That the three-year review of Canada's anti-terrorism legislation required
by the law be full and thorough, with an emphasis on the “soft use” of the
legislation by the security establishment. “Soft use” includes the tactics
and techniques used in visitations in the Canadian Muslim and Arab communities.
The groups indicated that the government’s last report was an inadequate
statistical analysis of only two provisions.
* A full and thorough review of the process of issuing security certificates,
which the groups argued violates fair trial standards in addition to Canada’s
international human rights obligations. Under the process, individuals
are held for extended periods of time without charge, are denied a fair opportunity
to see the evidence against them, face deportation from Canada to possible
risk of persecution, and are unable to mount a meaningful challenge to the
lawfulness of their detention.
* That the Minister wait for the recommendations of the Maher Arar public
inquiry before passing C-7, the Public Safety Act. The groups expressed
concern regarding the unprecedented executive power contemplated by the Act
in collecting and sharing information on Canadian citizens and others in Canada
without accountability and oversight. Concerns included the fear that
the legislation would become a formal process to expedite more cases like
Arar.
* That the government create an independent and accountable complaints mechanism
to oversee the Canada Border Services Agency, and particularly its activities
of immigration enforcement.
In a joint statement issued today, CAIR-CAN, CAF, COMO and CCR stated
“Our organizations welcome the opportunity to be part of a consultative
process that aims to ensure the safety and security of Canada. Canada
is our home and we all have a moral duty to ensure that it is safe from all
forms of hate, violence and extremism.
“We believe that there should be no contradiction between security and the
fundamental values that we share as Canadians. To make us truly safer
and more secure, security initiatives must respect the values of humanity,
transparency, accountability, natural justice and the rule of law.
“When our security law violates these principles, is seen to be arbitrary,
or catches innocent people in its net, it loses the confidence of Canadians.
It is with this concern that we ask the Minister for a full and thorough
review of the anti-terrorism legislation and the security certificate process,
to halt passing Bill C-7 until the recommendations of the Maher Arar inquiry
and to create a complaints mechanism for the Canada Border Services Agency.”
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Contact
CAIR-CAN Naeem Saloojee at 613-254-9704
CAF Rula Sharkawi at 416-493-8635 Ext 22
CCR Janet Dench at 514-277-7223